Surf aetd life boat



J.R. GRAOE. SURF AND LIFE BOAT.

Patented Mar. 6

a; rrron.

JOHN R. GRACE, OF BROOKLYN, NEXV YORK.

SURF AND LIFE BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,362, dated March 6, 1860.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN R. GRACE, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Surf and Life Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a perspective view of a boat constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3, is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4, is a transverse section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The boat has its bottom and its gun-Wale curved longitudinally, rising from the middle of its length, as is represented in Fig. at, that is to say, its bottom has the form of two inverted arcs united by a central angular portion which supplies the place of a keel, the bottoms of the central annular portion, and the bottoms of the two arcs being straight and occupying the same plane for some distance that in beaching the boat may come on an even keel. The angular form of the central portion gradually narrows or becomes more acute toward the end of the boat and forms a sharp prow at each end, and the rounded portions gradually rise and narrow till they vanish at some distance from the ends leaving the ends somewhat of the form of the ordinary surf boat but much higher, so that the air chambers which are secured within the ends will sufficiently buoy up the boat when capsized and so that owing to its narrow base when thus supported it will readily roll over and right itself. The said central angular portion and the rounded portions on each side are covered by a floor A, which unites with the bottom at the junction of the angular and rounded portions, as shown at a, a, Fig. 4:, making three air tight chambers 72, b, 0, as shown in Fig. 1, which may be divided by transverse partitions or bulk heads to form a larger number of air tight chambers. The central chamber or chambers C, may serve as a tank or tanks to be filled with fresh water, to serve as ballast and for the refreshment of the passengers and crew, such tank or tanks being provided with suitable openings in the floor fitted with tight stoppers or covers (Z, by whose removal the water may be introduced or dipped out, as may be necessary. The chambers b, b, are to contain air to give buoyancy to the boat.

In the bottom of the boat are suitable openings formed by tubes 0, e, passing through the chambers, such openings being fitted with valves so applied as to prevent the entrance of water from under the bottom, but to enable the water to run out which enters on attempting to right the boat if capsized, whereby less weight has to be lifted, and to a great extent, thus rendering the boat self freeing. Suitable openings j, j, to be filled with similarly applied valves may be also provided in the sides for a similar purpose. The elevated ends of the boat may also be inclosed to form air chambers g, g, to give additional buoyancy and to enable the boat the more easily to right itself if capsized on being launched or under other circumstances. These chambers may also be divided into smaller chambers, so that in case of a hole being knocked in the boat the greater portion of the air space may remain intact.

The chambers are rounded endwise, or arched, so that when the boat is plunged vertically into the water, or subjected to any violent endwise concussion the arch will resist such violence and preserve the chambers from being broken. The chambers (g, 9,) are also rounded or arched upon their tops, so as to resist vertical pressure. They have been heretofore made with vertical ends and flat tops and were thus of but little practical value, for the rough usages to which life boats are subject.

The boat thus constructed may be made of sheet metal or of wood, but the former material is most suitable. It may be strengthened by keelsons of wood applied within the central angle of the bottom, or at the junction of such angle, with the rounded or are formed portions.

The advantages which result from the construction of the boat, with its transverse section of the form described and represented in Fig. &, are that it is steadier on the water, and better calculated to preserve an even keel, enabling by the combination of the side air chamber 6, b, and central water tank 0, the buoyancy to be provided where it is most effective and the ballast to be kept in the center, where it is most required, and

besides this it enables the boat to be made curved with cork to give additional buoyancy; nor do I claim, broadly, the providing of boats with air chambers at their ends; but I claim the combination of the air chambers g g with the ends of boats that are so curved, that when the boat is capsized the boat shall be mainly supported upon said air chambers, as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

3. The vertical and endwise arching of the chambers g, g, as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN R. GRACE. Witnesses M. M. LIVINGSTON, IWIILT. HUGHES. 

